Drabbles
by NavyBrat84
Summary: A collection of drabbles involving Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David - unless otherwise stated. Some could be scenes that could've been on the show, most are AU. This will be updated as I write more.
1. Chapter 1

**Cuddling**

She wasn't sure how long they had been in the position they were or even when it happened, but she knew that the comfort that it brought was healing her in ways she never truly expected. Running her big toe gently over Tony's foot Ziva sighed just a little and cuddled closer trying to remember how they got there.

They had been released from the hospital after a few hours of observation. Even though the bombing at headquarters had left the building in ruins and the elevator they had been in barely survivable they had manage to make it out with a few cuts, bruises, and bumps. Tony's head having received the greatest of bumps and for a moment she and the doctors had thought he may have had a concussion, but after a few test it had be ruled out. When the doctor released them he had warned Tony that he'd probably have a killer headache in the morning, if not sooner. He had laughed it off, but Ziva couldn't help the tightening in her chest. She didn't want him to be alone. Even though the doctor had ruled the concussion she wasn't so sure. It took a little convincing… okay, a promise of some pizza and movies to get Tony to agree to go back to her place, but he did agree to go.

As she had driven them back to her place he called the pizza place and placed an order for a large pepperoni pizza to be delivered. She had remembered that much. That and hoping she'd be able to get to her place before the delivery person arrived. She also cursed herself for leaving her apartment in such a mess that morning. She hoped Tony wouldn't mind. Doubted that he would really, his place was probably worse.

They had been at her place for maybe three minutes when the pizza was delivered and being true to himself Tony had a piece in his mouth, munching away before Ziva could even get the money out of her wallet to pay the kid. Before she knew it they were sitting on the couch silently polishing off the pizza. When she asked what movie he wanted to watch he just shrugged at a loss of which to pick from her collection. Too many chick flicks he had mumbled.

They sat quietly side-by-side for a brief time before she had leaned against Tony's shoulder. He winced a little over the deep bruise he could feel forming there. Shifting a little he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders and she cuddled into his side. Tony looked down at her smiling at how familiar it felt to have her that close to him even though they hadn't cuddled like that it a long time. Not since the summer that Gibbs had taken his little vacation to Mexico had they cuddled like that.

"You okay?" Tony asked softly as he rested his head atop of hers.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed and pressed her ear closer to his chest to listen to the rhythm of of his heartbeat. "You?"

Tony sighed a little, "Yeah. I think the doc might've been right though. I'm going to have one helluva headache soon."

Ziva looked looked up without even raising her head from its resting place. "Would you like some aspirin? I have some in the bathroom…"

"It probably wouldn't hurt," he agreed.

Untangling herself from where she was Ziva made her way to the kitchen first to put some more water in the glass she snagged from the end table Tony had placed it on and then to the bathroom to fetch the aspirin. When she had come back out Tony wasn't on the couch where she left him. Looking around she saw him through the open door to her room. He was sitting on the foot of her bed staring at his feet. Quietly she made her way to him and placed the glass of water and bottle of aspirin in his line of sight.

Taking the bottle Tony popped it open and pour a couple out. "You should take a couple too," he suggested as he traded the bottle for the glass of water. "You may not feel it now, but you're going to feel the bruises later."

Ziva shook her head no, scoffing at the thought that a few bruises would need a pain reliever. She'd been through worse and never took any. The look that Tony gave her though as he swallowed down the pills was enough for her to buckle and pour out a two for herself to take. He offered the glass of water to her once he finished with it and watched as she downed her dose.

"Why are you in my room?" she asked after a moment.

"Couch isn't comfortable anymore," he murmured. "I just though that being able to stretch out might help."

Taking a look around her bedroom Ziva took quick inventory on how it appeared. Not all of her clothes where in the laundry basket, but it wasn't terrible. It was actually the cleanest place in her apartment. She didn't feel the need to run around picking up things like she did when they had first walked into the apartment.

"Shoes off," she ordered. "I'm not having any dirt in my bed."

Tony dutifully took off his shoes and proceeded to take off his shirt and pants as Ziva fluffed up the pillows. When she glanced back his way and raised her eyebrows in surprise he just shrugged. "If I fall asleep I want to be comfortable."

"Very well." It was all she said before she went to her dresser and pulled out a tank and some sleep shorts. She retreated to the bathroom once more and changed into the more comfortable clothing before returning to the bedroom.

Tony had already climbed into Ziva's bed when she came back. The comforter spread across his thighs and his black boxers showing. She climbed into the bed beside him and he just opened his arm to allow her to cuddle in close without even having to ask.

"I feel like I should be there… helping in some way." Tony whispered into the room, interrupting the sound of their breathing that had filled it for ten minutes.

"Me too," Ziva agreed, "but they told us not to go back. Not yet anyways. They don't want anyone there until they deem it safe for investigating."

"I know, but… that was…" he couldn't finish the thought. To get his feelings about that building out of his mouth. The words to describe it sat on the tip of his tongue, but he knew that if he actually said it aloud he'd cry. It had been his home. He had slept there. Ate there. Fought with McGee, Gibbs, Jenny, Ziva and a whole slue of other people. Even his own apartment didn't feel like home when compared to that place and now it was gone. If he had let those feelings out he knew he'd actually cry about it.

"I know," Ziva breathed as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. She needed not say more because she felt the same way too and he knew that.

They had fallen asleep at some point. When she had woken they were tangled up from head to toe. Running her big toe over the top of Tony's foot she sighed and snuggled closer.

"Why didn't you leave when I told you to?" Tony questioned, his breath right against her ear.

A smile smile graced her lips as the words from only a few years earlier echoed in her head. "I couldn't live without you… I guess."


	2. Chapter 2

**Stubborn Little Girl**

They were both blaming the same person for this, Gibbs. It was all his fault they were in this position. It all started one day about three weeks ago when he took their little girl out for a little bonding time. He had said they were going to the hardware store and he'd teach her about different woods and tools while he allowed them to catch up on some things that needed to be done around the house. They had laughed; their little one would be passed out in the cart before he was even able to pick up a hammer to teach her about the tool. A hardware store with a three year old!

When Gibbs and their daughter had returned they did have a few things for the project that the silver haired man was working on in his basement, but their little lady also had something of her very own- a whole ballet getup. It turned out that a dance shop had opened a few doors down from Gibbs' favorite hardware store and someone had spied it the moment they had parked. She pitched a fit until Gibbs caved and took her into the shop only to exit with the whole outfit and a grinning three year old. Oh, yes, he was a sucker and now they were the ones paying for it.

Every day since their daughter had gotten her outfit she insisted on wearing it. Ziva had tried dressing her in the clothes that she already had, but Ariella refused to put them on. Tony had even tried bribing her with toys and treats, but their curly haired girl even turned him down. They had resorted to allowing her to wear the outfit during the day and then slipping her out of it and washing it at night after she had fallen asleep. Today was a different story though; Abby had insisted on a family photo shoot with the whole team and had picked out colors for each individual family within their family to wear so no one clashed. Ariella, though, was standing in the yard in her leotard and tutu pouting.

"Tony, what are we going to do?!" Ziva hissed from beside Tony as they stared at their pouty little girl. "We have to be there in an hour!"

Tony ran his hand through his hair. They really were in a tough spot with this one. Ariella had inherited both his and Ziva's stubborn streaks and once she had set her mind to something it was near impossible to change it, even if she was only three years old. "I don't know," he practically whined. "Gibbs is never buying her clothes again, I know that much!"

Ziva held the little blue Swiss-dot swing-style dress that she and Abby had picked out for Ariella to wear and sighed. She knew her daughter would look adorable in it once they managed to get her out of her current favorite outfit. "Abby will kill us if Ariella doesn't show up in this! She has this whole list of pictures she wants."

"One, if Abby's going to kill anyone it will be Gibbs; he's the one to buy her that. And two, would it be so bad if she just wore the ballet outfit?" Tony sighed.

"It has a juice stain from earlier, Tony! Remember she spilled her juice all over herself when you decided to sneak up behind her and tickle her?!" Ziva glared at him.

Oh, right, Tony remembered with a grin, it was a fun moment. "Okay, maybe if one of us holds her down the other could change her into that?" He plotted with a motion of his hand to the dress in Ziva's custody.

"She may be only three, Tony, but we have failed at doing that before!"

Tony slumped against the door frame in defeat. Abby was going to kill them. Ziva took a step towards their daughter, but then backed off looking defeated. They both had their hands full with their daughter.

"Ah, hell!" Gibbs grumbled from behind the two partners. Neither had heard him come in or even appear behind them and they jumped as they spun around at the sound of his voice. "She's a little kid you two! It's not that hard to get her into that dress! Kelly went through the same faze with a princess costume. Ziva," he threw out his hand, "gimme the dress."

Ziva handed over the dress, "I highly doubt that it will be as easy with Ariella as it was with Kelly, Gibbs!"

"Five minutes." That's all he said as he walked down to the curly blonde haired girl was standing. He scooped her up in his arms and walked back into the house without another word to the parents who stood there waiting for the man to come out with the same defeated look on his face.

Tony looked over to his partner. She did look stunning in her sky blue dress. Deciding to steal a moment before the screaming started he pulled Ziva to him and nuzzled against her neck. "I'd say we should try for another, but if they're as stubborn as this one we'd never survive," he murmured.

Ziva let out a shaky laugh, "Probably." She put enough space between them to straighten his tie that matched in color to what she and Ariella were wearing… or at least she was wearing.

They stood there together waiting for the screaming that never came. Quite the opposite happened only a few moments later. Gibbs appeared with Ariella in his arms dressed in the dress she had refused to wear for them and the white dress shoes that had been left on her bed. He had even managed to brush her hair and stick a little bow in it. "Let's go," Gibbs ordered as he brushed by with their daughter who was smiling.

"How did he do that?" Tony whispered in Ziva's ear in disbelief.

"I do not know," Ziva gapped after them, "but we will have to learn."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sunrise**

He groaned as he stared at the clock that sat beside him on the nightstand. The glowing red lights said that it was half past four in the morning and he had watched every minute of those thirty minutes watching them tick by. He wanted sleep, but it escaped his grasp not long after it had started its nightly visit. He rolled over and grabbed the pillow before smashing it against his face and screaming into it. He was frustrated with everything. After a few more minutes passed he finally gave up on sleep altogether and made his way to the dining room to peruse the internet until the rest of the world would wake and he could pester somebody. It didn't take long for the internet to annoy him and he slammed the computer shut in disgust. Drumming his fingers on the table he tried to figure out what to do. It had been a few days since he had gone for a run and the sun would be up soon, he thought to himself as he got up and threw on some running clothes before heading out the door. He made a mental map of what route he would take and how long it would take to reach where he wanted to watch the sunrise over the city. He set his pace and watched his watch as he made his way through the streets towards his destination at the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. He arrived a few minutes before the sun was due to show itself so he jogged up and down the steps in the predawn light only to stop halfway down the steps when he spotted a neon orange beanie jogging up the steps towards him. A smile broke across his face at his luck. The woman wearing the beanie slowed as she ascended the last few steps to him. She stopped on the step just before his and gave him a slow disbelieving smile that he was there in front of her.

"I did not expect to see you here," Ziva lightly panted at him.

"I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd go for a run and watch the sun come up."

Ziva nodded in understanding, she had also made the same decision for her run. She reached around with her hand and rubbed the back of her neck. "Would you like to watch it come up together?"

Tony nodded with the smile that had yet to disappear from his face and motioned over his shoulder with his thumb, "Race you to the top of the step! It's the best view up there." He didn't wait for her answer, just turned on his heal and took off up the stairs with Ziva scrambling behind him as she yelled, "No fair! I was not ready!"

Due to Tony's head start he reached the top step mere seconds before Ziva and flopped down with a laugh, "You're slacking, David," he taunted.

Ziva threw herself down beside him and punched him in the arm, "At least I did not cheat!"

Tony chuckled and draped his arm around her shoulders as he pointed to the view before them, the sun rising slowly over the trees that lined the Reflecting Pool towards the Washington Monument. "When I first moved here I would run around here almost every morning," he shared.

"I made a few visits here at first too," she admitted as she settled into the nook that his arm made for her.

After awhile the sun was high enough in the sky that many people had started their day around them. "Wanna grab some breakfast? There's a café not too far from here that has a pretty decent one," he solicited. "My treat," he added.

Ziva nodded as she stood up and with a grin she yelled over her shoulder as she began to run down the steps, "I will race you to the bottom!"

Tony was on his feet in an instant running after her, "I will get you, Ziva!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Ziva's Passing**

He sighed heavily as he watched her from his perch against the tree not far away. The others had already left and gone back to the house to prepare for the gathering of people who were going to spend some more time conveying their condolences and sharing memories, but he had sensed she needed more time and so they stayed behind. He took a quick glance over to the diggers who were patiently waiting for the go ahead and decided it was time. Pushing off the tree with the foot he had propped against it he walked to the young girl standing before the coffin. He adjusted his dark sun glasses to make sure they hadn't slipped and she couldn't see the red rimmed and dark circled eyes he was sporting. He was damn sure that if it wasn't for the skin that covered his body she would see how he was completely torn apart inside. His heart was in tiny pieces and he felt like his lungs were in a vice. It took more power than it should to just breathe and make his body move in the most rudimentary way.

As he approached the side of the coffin the little girl stood his fingers reached out and brushed against the polished wood. "Sweetheart," he whispered, "we should be going. Everyone is waiting on us."

The blonde haired girl looked up at him with tears pooled in her dark brown eyes. She had the same hair as he had as a child, but they were her mother's eyes staring straight back at him and he had to bite his tongue to keep from losing all control over himself. He had promised himself that she wouldn't see him cry yet, if at all. At least not in a totally out of control way. She had seen a few tears roll down his cheeks and he wouldn't be surprised if she had heard his sobs into the pillow over the last few nights. He had tried to only do that after she had gone to bed and he was sure she was asleep, but not long after the sobs had left he would hear the door to his room creak open and the soft padding of her feet across the wooden floor before her soft hand would reach up and gently shake his shoulder and ask to sleep with him for the night. He always allowed it, tucking her into the middle of the bed and she would be clinging to his arm when the morning light started to shine through the windows.

"I don't want to leave her, Daddy," the little girl pleaded. "She'll be lonely!"

He crouched down to her nine-year-old height and held her gently by her shoulders. "She won't be lonely sweetie. Remember how we talked about this? Her body may be here, but she will always be with us so she'll never be lonely."

The young girl angrily swiped at the tears that were staining her face. "But… I don't want to leave her yet!"

Hanging his head he quietly begged for the strength to help her understand that they couldn't stay there. Sure he had thought about how much easier it would be to just set up a tent or build a one-room shack next to the grave, but in the end he knew it wasn't going to change anything. The woman he loved was gone. A bullet from a sniper during a showdown with a group of criminals they were after took her from him, from their daughter, from their entire family. "I know honey, but we have to go now. They," he motioned over his shoulder with a tilt of his head, "they need to finish up here and like I said, everyone is waiting for his back home."

The girl closed the small space that was between them and he rested his head against her as he looked to the coffin and reminded himself of all the things he had already said to his daughter. "Can we…" she started to play with his hair a little as she choked back tears, "Can we go to Israel and plant an olive tree with the others? Like she did?"

Turning his head he looked up to the wet, chocolate pools that stared back at him. "We'll go in the summer. As soon as school lets out," he promised.

She nodded slowly, accepting his conditions before saying, "I'm cold, Daddy, can I wear your coat too?"

Sliding his overcoat off he wrapped his little girl in it and seeing how big it was on her scooped her up in his arms. They said one last goodbye and each placed a kiss on the polished wood before he carried her to the waiting limo and back to their home where everyone was waiting with hugs, stories, understanding, and above all love for them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Bat Mitzvah**

Ziva stretched out on the sand before curling herself over her knees to take in the view of her children walking in the sand. It had been a long flight, but she was so happy that she and Tony had been able to bring the children to Israel to celebrate their oldest daughter's Bat Mitzvah. When she first got pregnant the discussion of how they would raise the children they had became a main topic for awhile. The mere fact that she was Jewish meant that the children would be considered Jewish as well, but they had decided that they would introduce their children to both the Christian and Jewish religions and allow them to follow the faith that spoke most to their heart. This decision was what led them to the beaches of Tel Aviv that very day. Their oldest daughter had just turned twelve and had always felt most at home in the Jewish faith- honestly all three of their children leaned towards the Jewish faith which was fine by both her and Tony- and the time had come for Rebecca's Bat Mitzvah. She had studied long and hard and the service was beautiful. Ziva had felt a pride that she could hide as she heard her daughter recite the prayers and words of the service in the Hebrew that she had taken careful time to teach her from birth. After the service and during the celebratory party that Gibbs had insisted on paying for Tony and Ziva surprised Rebecca with the plane tickets for the whole family to go to Israel as a private way to celebrate. She had been so excited that she had circled the date on her calendar and counted down to takeoff.

"They look happy," Tony whispered into her ear as he sat down beside her.

"mmmHmmm," Ziva hummed in response. "I was just thinking how fast the time has gone. It feels like yesterday that we found out we were expecting her and now she's had her Bat Mitzvah! Where did it all go?"

Tony chuckled beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he rested his chin on her arm, "That, Ziva, is a mystery every parent asks."

Ziva let out a long sigh, "I still see her as the little baby that kept us up all night for three months straight."

"We still have Hannah and Benjamin that you can treat as babies," he halfheartedly teased. "It won't be long before they're coming here for the Bat and Bar Mitzvahs though."

Ziva's head turned towards him with a slight surprised look painted on it. "You want to bring them here for theirs too? We had only decided on this trip for Rebecca at last minute."

"Well, I thought it would be nice for them to celebrate here too. We could let them decide on a destination though."

"Oh! No! I think bringing them here afterwards would be great!" Ziva said excitedly. She had found a new excitement and comfort in the religion as she watched her children grow and learn about it. "Just look at them," she motioned towards the water's edge where the three of them played in the shallows, "they are so happy being here. Let them come celebrate here too!"

"Then it is settled. When Hannah and Ben make their Mitzvahs we will celebrate here as well."

Ziva leaned in to Tony and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "Thank you, Tony. I love you!"

Tony and Ziva cuddled close to one another as they turned their sights to the water's edge and their three growing children dance and play as the water of the Mediterranean lapped at their feet.


	6. Chapter 6

**Cranky little boy**

Ziva sank into the shallow water of the tub with her little boy cuddled in her arms. He had been fussy and irritable all day between the teething and colic he was a miserable mess. The warm water lapped over her lower body as she leaned back slightly against the porcelain and she tried to sooth her son.

"Oh Micah, what can Ima do to help you," she cooed at him and he laid his head against her bare chest. He continued to cry, although his cry began to wane to a whimper as the steam from the warm bath worked its magical soothing powers on him. Ziva dipped a hand into the water, cupped it, and drew some water into it to gently pour over his little back as she hummed a song that her mother had sang to her when she wasn't feeling well as a child. She rubbed the water over his back and along his arms. "Do you know just how much I love you, Micah?" she whispered into his ear as she handed him a rubber ducky to hold. "I love you to the moon and back. Daddy does too."

Micah nuzzled closer to his mother as his head began to root around. Ziva smiled down at him deciding to let him find his way to what he wanted. Her breath hitched a bit when he latched onto her breast and started to nurse from her. She had quietly cried to Tony shortly after Micah had been born about how much it had hurt and how tired she was being the sole provider of food for him and not being able to sleep through the night because of it, but now she relished the bond that they had developed and wouldn't ever dream of having it taken away.

"Hungry, my little man?" she murmured as his whimpers were replaced with the sounds of his suckling. She cradled him in her arms as he took his nourishment from her. Her head tilted to the side and her hair fell to cover the side of her face as a soft smile played on her face. "You have your father's appetite," she chuckled as she placed a kiss on the infant's head.

"What about my appetite?" Tony asked as he quietly slipped into the steamy bathroom.

Ziva turned her head to greet him with a smile. "Micah. He has your appetite. Both of you are always hungry!"

Tony squatted down by the tub with a grin. "That's the DiNozzo genes at work there!" He appraised his son, "or he's just a boob guy! Couldn't blame him for that either." He winked at her with a mischievous smirk.

"Tony!" Ziva squealed! "Do not talk like that in front of him! He is just a baby and I do not want him to learn such things so early!"

"Oh, but my dear, he already knows," he motioned to their nursing son, "he is a DiNozzo afterall."

Ziva playfully smacked Tony's hand that was resting on side of the tub. "You are terrible."

"But you did marry me even knowing that."

"Yes, I guess I did. You are very tricky like that. You made me fall in love with you and then all hope of staying away from you went out the window."

Tony smiled at her and then at his son. "At least this seems to be helping him," he whispered as he dipped his head to steal a kiss from her. "Maybe we will get some sleep tonight."

"Hmmm, that would be amazing," she sighed.

"If he does sleep you can sleep as well. You have some milk stored in the freezer so I can get up and feed him if he wakes up hungry."

"And if he does not sleep? I will not get to sleep?" she practically whined.

"No, you will still be able to sleep," he smiled at her. "You were up all last night with him; I'll take tonight's shift."

"And there is why I love you," she grinned back at him.

Tony tucked her hair behind her ear before leaning in to whisper, "If you're not too tired and he stays calm for a little bit maybe I can show you another reason why." His eyes twinkled as he pulled back.

"Perhaps," she whispered back huskily, "I am not that tired after all. It will be up to this little one to decide."

"Micah," Tony turned his attention to his son, "eat up and then go to sleep! Daddy wants some time with mommy."

Ziva shooed Tony out of the bathroom with a chuckled.

Micah broke his latch on Ziva and looked up at him with a milky grin. "All done?" she cooed at him. His head fell to rest on her chest once again and she cuddled him close as she began to hum again. A short time last he was fast asleep and Ziva carefully eased them out of the cooling water.


	7. Chapter 7

**Return to the orange grove**

"Micah," Tony called after his son with a laugh echoing in his voice. "Micah, don't run off too far!"

Tony and Ziva watched as their son ran with wild abandon among the orange trees. He'd jump from time to time to see if he could grab an orange from the branches above him. The trip hadn't been planned. Tony had woken up a few days prior and had an overwhelming desire to go back to the grove that he and Ziva had spent time in not that long ago. He had told her that he was fighting for her then, that he wanted her to come home with him. They had torn down walls that day. They poured their hearts out to one another with only the trees as their witnesses. The grove and oranges had become a special part of his and Ziva's relationship from that day forward.

"It has been too long since we have been here," Ziva murmured as she wrapped her arms around his and snuggled into him. "We should have brought him sooner."

"I think we got the timing right on this one," he smiled as he shifted his arm from her grasp to wrap around her shoulders. "He can have fun now. Look at him trying to get those oranges," he laughed as their son bounced up from the ground with all his might only to return to it with no fruit to show for his work. "Try again, Micah!" he encouraged from where he and Ziva were.

They watched as their son once again sprang from his spot with his hands outstretched towards the tree. The little boy sailed into the lower branches and landed victorious as he grasped in his hands a perfectly plump orange. The squeal that sounded through the grove made Ziva laugh, "Ima! Daddy! I did it!" He ran towards them holding the prize from the tree in his hands.

Ziva bowed at the waist as her son ran to him. "You did very well, Micah!" she praised as he ran up to her.

"It's so big!" the little boy grinned at her. "Do they have bigger ones here?" he wondered aloud.

Tony ruffled his son's hair. "Dunno, little man. We will have to see."

The boy began to look at the trees around them. "There are so many!"

Tony and Ziva both laughed at his amazement of his surroundings. "Yes, my son, there are many," Ziva smiled at him. "Do you want to know a secret?"

The little boy bobbed his head up and down excitedly. "I love secrets!"

Kneeling before her son Ziva continued to smile at his enthusiasm. "This is a very special grove."

"Why?" the young boy questioned with wide eyes. "Is it made of magic?"

Tony took this as his turn to come down to his son's level. "Something like that," he greeted his son. "This place is special to your mom and I because this is where we…" Tony hesitated, unsure how to explain the grove to him.

"This is where you daddy and I came when it was time to tell each other that we loved each other. The trees that are here where there then. They heard us when we told each other," Ziva finished her husband's thought.

"Really?" Micah asked.

"Really," Tony and Ziva confirmed in unison.

Micah looked around again. This time he looked at the trees a bit differently. "I bet they know a lot of secrets too," he grinned before he demurred. "Did you kiss here too?"

"Well… yes," Tony admitted.

Micah's nose wrinkled. "Gross!"

Ziva and Tony laughed heartily at their little boy's disgust over what they had done there. "One day you won't think it's so gross," Tony ruffled his hair again.

"No way!"

"Yes way!" Ziva grinned.

"No!"

Tony laughed. "For now how about you go find an even bigger orange," he told him as an out from the agreement that was starting to form.

Micah was off like a shot and Ziva dissolved into laughter where they stayed. Tony sobered after a few moments as he looked around. "Ziva," he gapped at where they were, "this is the exact spot!"

Ziva looked around now as the realization dawned on her as well. "It is!" she gasped.

Tony pulled her into his arms and tenderly kissed her lips as their confession to each other that time not long ago echoed through the branches of the trees.

"Ew!" Micah yelled from not far away as he saw his parents kissing where he left them.

Once again Tony and Ziva dissolved into laughter. "Tony," Ziva sobered first this time. "We will have to do this again in a few years…"

Tony glanced over to her, laughter still bubbling from him. "I think he won't forget this, Ziva. We may have scarred him."

"No, not him," Ziva reached over and took his hand bringing it to her stomach. "I wanted the timing to be perfect to tell you."

"Really?!" Tony gasped at what was being revealed to him.

"Really," Ziva confirmed with a sparkling smile.

And just like that the grove once again held a family secret. A confession.


	8. Chapter 8

**Autumn Getaway**

Autumn had quietly arrived in the midst of a case that had slid across their desk, but Tony was only able to put half of his heart into it. When the case had wrapped up Gibbs suggested that he may need a break. Some time to clear his head. He hadn't been completely there since leaving Ziva in Israel and Gibbs had been kind and understanding about it. His support helped Tony more than he wished to admit. Deciding to take Gibbs up on his offer of a week off he packed up his things and headed for the elevator. He wasn't sure how he'd spend the week, but he knew he needed the time.

The phone call had come late that night. He wasn't expected the quiet voice that traveled over the line and to his ear, but it made his heart race with a renewed excitement. "I needed to see the leaves change color," it whispered. "I'm in Maine." He didn't waste time finding out the exact location he was going to or packing his bag. He was in Maine by lunch the following day.

When he walked up to the door at the little cottage back in the woods he didn't even need to knock. The door swung open in a flash and he was engulfed in the best hug of his life. He clung to her for long moments, breathing her scent in deeply and memorizing her feel and warmth. "I've missed you so much," he murmured into her ear.

"I have missed you too," she whispered in return before leading him into the little cottage that she had stumbled upon during an internet search of pictures for autumn leaves. The owner of the cottage lived down in the islands these days and rented the place out from time to time for people who needed a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. He never questioned her as to why she would need it, just asked that the place be left in good condition and for the rent to be paid in full before she arrived. She booked a flight with a few connections and landed in the quiet state of Maine three days later. After buying a burn phone from a local store as she stocked up on a few supplies she called the only person she longed for more than the changing leave and now he was there with her.

"You and Gibbs must have ESP or something because he only gave me the week off last evening," he chuckled against her cheek as he brought his face around to look into hers.

"Maybe," she hummed, amused by her luck. Their eyes met and tears welled up in hers as she soaked in his green orbs. Her fingers trailed along his jaw and back to the nape of his neck to play with the short hair that grew there. "Or maybe it is just fate's way of saying that we needed this time."

Tony ducked his head in at her last statement and captured her lips for a brief moment. "Miss David," he whispered when the ended the kiss, "I have ever told you that you're a sap?"

Ziva playfully smacked the back of his neck. "I am not a sap!" she huffed. "I just believe in us."

"I like the sound of that," he sighed, "us."

They had quietly spent the next few days held up in the little cottage. They had read the few books that they had found there to one another, cuddled up the fireplace, made love endlessly, and talked for hours. Cabin fever had started to set in though and Ziva's desire to walk amongst the crisp, crunchy leaves grew as their time together grew short. They dressed in casual clothes that morning and set out to discover the surrounding that they had abandoned moments after he had arrived. They walked along a desolate path not far from the cottage. No words were needed to be shared. She stayed close to his side, her head rested softly on his arm and her hand tucked neatly into his. They breathed in the crisp, fresh air and the soft wind ruffled their hair, but didn't chill their bodies as the love they shared kept them warm for the hours that they spent wandering around.

The time did come though and they had to part. Neither wanted to leave, but Tony had to get back to DC and Ziva couldn't risk another day in the States and had to go back to Israel. They held each other close for a long time before they parted ways at the airport. Ziva would travel back to Israel much like she had traveled there and Tony would be back in DC by dinner.

"Call me when you get there," he requested after he broke their kiss. "I need to know you're okay."

"I will," she agreed. "I love you, Tony."

"I love you too, Ziva."


	9. Chapter 9

**Heartache**

It had been three months, one week, and two days since they had parted on the tarmac. She had sobbed that whole night after she returned to the home she had been born in and made her goodbye call to Gibbs. She didn't think it was going to be that hard. The temptation of going back at with him was very real and she almost cracked when he kissed her, but her resolve to find herself on her own won out and she smiled as he left. She had to smile because she didn't want his last memory of her be with her frowning. It was bad enough that he would see that smile mixed with tears, if it had been mixed with a terrified frown she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself.

The days had been long at first. She had to keep herself from rushing to the airport and boarding a plane bound for the city that held those who were so close to her heart. At night she would cry into her pillow as the memories flashed in her mind's eye. Slowly the nightly tears diminished to only a night or two during the week and she found things to busy herself during the day. She took an art class and volunteered with the school that she had attended as a child. A few weeks after she had been on her own she went back to Egypt for a weekend to see an opera that she and Tali had seen years before and was going through a revival on stage. She was still having a difficult time coming to terms with herself and what she had done over the years. Tony's words would quietly reverberate in her ears at her lowest moments; 'Ziva, this isn't you' he would whisper to her then and even then she would feel the need to fight against his words because she still felt that it was. Those were the nights that the tears fell unchecked for hours upon hours. Daylight brought her strength for the most part. She kept the tears at bay and the anger at herself stood in the corner as she rediscovered things that she loved as a child.

What she wasn't expecting all these weeks later was to be standing in the kitchen of her birth home in the early morning hours as the world around her began to stir awake and the morning light starting to shine through the window and the sudden, urgent need to cry overwhelm her. She was waiting for the timer to go off for the cinnamon rolls she was making and it struck her with a ferocious force that it brought her to her knees. She could see Tony standing there, she could feel his touch on her skin, hear the gentleness of his voice as he had spoken to her in their last days together. She felt like she was being ripped open from the inside out as she missed him so intensely. She began to sob on the floor of the kitchen, the rolls long forgotten and turning to charcoal in the oven. Once her emotions settled she gathered herself up and took care of the meal that had been forgotten in the process of her meltdown. She had never experienced her undoing in the daylight and it left her hollow feeling. She wondered if it would happen again. She feared where it would happen. Would it be at the store as she shopped for food? At the school as she was helping the children with a project? She didn't want to frighten them with a breakdown. She would have to more careful now. Now she knew that it was possible to lose it even in the daylight and not just at two in the morning. She knew though that this was part of the healing process and it was something that would need to work itself out within her. With every breakdown it brought her closer to herself, to understanding what was within her, to forgiving herself for what she had done and the lives she had taken and it helped her to remember that there were people waiting for her when she was ready to return. It reminded her that she had someone who loved her and missed her just as much waiting for her and she wondered if he broke down like that as well while he waited for his breakfast.


	10. Chapter 10

**Tony and Gibbs**

"It is the kindness and not the harshness in the headmaster's voice that pushes tough boys to cry." ~ Yiddish Proverb

Tony had sat in Gibbs basement for hours. The older man hadn't spoken a word to him knowing by the younger man's demeanor that the time to speak hadn't come. He had continued with his newest project that was still undeterminable to anyone who made their way to his hideaway. Tony had sat stewing in the corner, occasionally he would let out a sigh. Gibbs would look up from his work when Tony released these sighs to evaluate if the time had come to speak and with this last sigh that had been released he could tell the time had come. Tony was picking at the edge of the counter he was leaning up against, his face was grim, and he looked like he could down the entire bottle of bourbon if he was allowed.

"Tony," he started slowly, "I could tell you to man up. To move on because leaving Ziva in Israel was how things had to go, but I'm not. There's no easy way around this. It sucks-"

Tony let out a pained laugh that momentarily quieted his mentor. "You could say that again," he mumbled.

"It sucks." Gibbs continued, "We all care for her and I'm not blind or stupid to not know that it is different for you." He pushed himself away from the table and walked around to Tony. Reaching up he grabbed two Mason jars and emptied them of their contents, wiped them out of any dust, and poured the house special into them before passing one to the melancholy man beside him. "I'd give anything to have Shannon and Kelly here," he started again after taking a strong pull from his allotment of the beverage. His tone had quieted considerable and his melancholy matched Tony's in that moment. "I can't have them here. I wasn't able to protect them when they needed me most." Tony sat silently beside man that held more pain than he often let on. "She's trying to protect you. She's trying to protect all of us, but she's really trying to protect you. I've watched the two of you do this dance over the years. Your timing was screwed a lot. You spent too much time figuring out when to tell me and Rule 12 to go to Hell and when you finally figured it out this had to happen. I'm sorry about that," Gibbs looked up to him solemnly, "I'm really sorry."

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't form a sentence to say so he just took another drink and let out a soft grunt.

"We'll do everything to get her back here where she belongs, Tony," he promised. "When she does come back you have my blessing to follow your heart. Love is a funny thing… when you find the right one it will last forever… even if the person is no longer able to be with you. Trust me, I've tried finding it again and have three ex-wives to prove so," he laughed flatly.

"What do I do in the meantime, Boss?"

Gibbs fixed his best glare on his protégé, "Fight! Fight for you. Fight for her. Fight for the cases that come into our hands. Just fight to make things right. You still have the chance to make things right, I don't."

"I am," his voice was weaker now, "but it's just so hard when it gets quiet."

"Then you can come here. I could," he scratched the back of his head as he thought about what he was about to offer, "teach you about wood working. You still have some to learn in the office, but you're more than capable there. I could teach you a way to pass the time if you want."

Tony looked at him surprised. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, you spend almost as much time down here as I do anyways. Might as well be able to put you to work when you're here."

"I'd like that, Boss."

"Not tonight though," he pointed his finger at him. "Tonight you just figure out how to fight for the important things."

Tony nodded in understanding as Gibbs turned back to the table. The conversation they had just had echoed in his ears and as it did his eyes moistened. Gibbs glanced back to see a tear slip its way silently down his cheek before turning back to let him be.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ziva Returns**

Tony leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. It had been a strangely quiet day at the office. They had wrapped up a case a day and a half before and the reports had all been written and filed and now it seemed the entire Navy and Marine Corps had gotten a blanket order to behave themselves or else and they were taking the order seriously as the phone had rung with orders to send them to a case. He glanced over to Gibbs who had taken to reading a book, then to McGee who was grinning at his computer as he worked on whatever geeky thing he was doing on it, and finally to the desk across from his which was now occupied by their newest team member. Bishop, she wasn't the worst thing in the world he had to admit, but she wasn't Ziva either. She was currently perusing a magazine, but he had no interest in it. Ziva's magazine collection was entertaining, but Eleanor's just bored him. Reaching over he picked up the nerf ball that he had sitting on his desk and threw up in the air, catching as it fell back to him. The chatting of the agents on the other side of the bullpen became white noise as he concentrated on the ball the he was playing with. At one point as the ball soared into the air he reached up to his neck and loosened the tie he was wearing.

"You haven't dropped that in twenty minutes," McGee's voice floated to him.

"Concentration, McGeek. If you just concentrate on it you can do the same," Tony explained without taking his eyes off of his toy.

McGee rolled his eyes and went back to his computer. Tony had been touchy that week, even during the case. He wasn't one hundred percent sure, but considering how often Tony had opened his desk drawer when they were in the office he had a hunch that Ziva was on his mind a lot.

Up and down the ball went into the air. Chatter raising and falling around them as it did. There was a ding from the elevator every so often as someone arrived on the floor, but Tony paid it no attention. His eyes were on the ball and his mind was wandered back to an orange grove in a faraway land. He could feel Ziva's hands on his face as he begged her to come home with him. His gut roiled as she told him that she had to do things on her own. His ears heard another ding from the elevator just as he was standing on the tarmac again and the entire floor went silent. The fact that the floor went silent didn't register with him for a few seconds, but when it did the ball was high in the air and for the first time since he had started playing with it his eyes travelled away from it. He glanced first to McGee who was staring wide-eyed towards the elevator, Gibbs had even looked in the same direction with surprise written all over his face, the agents on the other side of the bullpen were all staring open mouthed towards the elevator as well. He didn't even bother looking to the newest agent in their midst, he didn't need her reaction. Instead he followed everyone else's cue and looked to the elevator and his stomach did a summersault. The ball fell to the desk beside him with a thud. He blinked three times before he jumped to his feet and half ran towards it. For a moment as he slowed to a stop before her he thought he may have been dreaming. She couldn't possibly be there.

Slowly his raised his hand and trailed his fingers across her cheek. Her skin was smooth and warm and a lump grew in his throat as she didn't disappear as he touched her. Her hair was in soft curls and her chocolate eyes stared up at him, shining with tears and fear. She was dressed in a pair of jeans the hugged her just right, a blue shirt that clung to her and was covered by a black sweater that hung open to show the shirt. Her feet were clad in knee high black boots. She skin had been kissed by the sun and it looked good on her.

"Tony-" she had started with a shaky voice only to be cut off as he pulled her up into his arms and took her words from her with his own lips pressing to them.

Tony's mind raced for a moment and then went silent with contentment as he finally had her in his arms again. It wasn't a dream, she was really there and he was kissing her. He deepened the kiss, becoming more emotional over it with every passing second. Ziva didn't protest, only followed his lead as she ran her hands along his cheeks and into his hair. The agents around them gapped at them, some surprised, others not. A few of the female agents nudged one another with dreamy smiles, obviously hopeless romantics.

Their breathing was ragged when they finally ended the embrace and he lowered her back to the floor. He pressed his forehead to hers and stared into her eyes as he struggled to steady his breathing.

"Tony," her voice came out huskier this time as her hands came back to his cheeks, ghosting her fingertips over them.

"Shh," he begged her. "We can talk later; right now I just want to look at you, Ziva." Ziva! He couldn't believe he could say her name to her again.

Ziva blushed under his request and quickly pecked at his lips again before shyly looking up at him with doe eyes.

Gibbs was smiling from his desk now. He watched for a few moments longer before turning away, giving the couple the privacy that wouldn't come from the others.

"Uh, so _that's_ how close you two were," Murray, the IT guy, mumbled as he exited the elevator that had arrived mid-kiss and had even more people ogling their display of affection from a different angel.

"Can it Murray," Tony half-heartedly snapped without taking his eyes off of Ziva's.

"Nice to see you again, Ziva," he greeted as he maneuvered around them. "Staying long?"

Ziva smiled at Tony, her eyes asking him just how long she would be staying even though their kiss had already answered her question. "Yes," she said after a few beats as she continued to look at Tony. "I will be."

Murray looked from one to the other and shook his head. He made his way to McGee's desk a few seconds later. McGee was watching his friends with a grin. "Just leave the info on the desk," he chirped.

Bishop rose from her desk and crossed the space between the desks as she looked over her shoulder in surprise at what was transpiring by the elevators. "Is that… her?" she asked McGee in a hushed whisper.

"Yup," McGee could hardly contain his happiness, "that's Ziva!"

"She's pretty," Eleanor remarked as she spied on them.

"She's more than just pretty, Bishop," Gibbs murmured from his desk. "She's family."


	12. Chapter 12

**A day at the river**

They had arrived to the river shortly after lunch. The day was the first really warm day of Spring and it held promise of an early and very hot Summer to come. Their daughter darted ahead of them as she pulled at the little dress that covered her pink bathing suit. She was beyond excited that she was going to be able to play in the water and that both of her parents were there to share the fun with her. Tony had been buried in a case for the last several weeks and he had missed a lot of their rituals for bedtime and quiet time because of it. Ziva had done her best to fill-in, but Eden had made it clear that even though she loved her Ima very much, she wanted her father when it came to certain things. Ziva understood and didn't fret over it too much. She just tried to explain that sometimes daddy's job would mean that she would have to fill-in and Eden would just nod and look out the window in hopes that her daddy's car would magically appear in the drive. Today though Eden didn't have to look out the window and hope, her daddy was there and so was her Ima and they were going to have fun at the river. She knew they would have fun because her daddy had promised her as much and her daddy would never lie to her.

"Be careful, Eden!" Tony called after his little girl. "Don't go in the water until we're with you!"

Eden screeched to a halt at the river's edge and waited patiently for them to join her. She shifted from foot to foot in a little dance as she dropped her dress to the side. The water looked cold as it rushed over the rocks and it sent a thrill through her little body. "Hurry up!" she pleaded to her parents as she spun around in a circle, her hands on her hips.

"She's being impatient again," Ziva chuckled from beside Tony as they carried a cooler between them that was filled with drinks and snacks and a few chairs balancing carefully on top.

"It's the age," Tony grinned over to her. "I bet you were just the same way. Besides, she also missed me while I was busy with work." Tony turned his eyes back to the curly brunette that spun in circles a few yards ahead of them. "I missed her too," he added softly. A laugh began to bubble up his throat a moment later as he watched his crazy little spinning ninja show the dizziness he was certain to come. She was about to topple over and he called out, "easy on the spinning, Eden! You'll fall in the river doing that!"

Eden wobbled to her right and then her left as she stopped mid-spin. Her girlish giggles filled the quiet area of the river they had chosen to come to. "Whoa! That's fun!" she continued to giggle.

Ziva shook her head as she tried to contain her laughter at her daughter's antics. "She gets that from you, you know?" she informed her husband as they settled the cooler on the ground under the large maple tree that would provide the right amount of shade when the time came for rest. "Go play with her," she dismissed him with a flick of her wrist and a warm smile. "I'll set the blanket and chairs up. She wants you to play with more them me."

Tony held up a finger to Eden indicating that he only needed one more minute before he pulled Ziva up into his arms and pressed a passionate kiss to her lips. "I missed you too. You know that, right?" he asked as he lowered her back to the ground. He smirked at her as he watched her try to recover from being swept off her feet… literally.

"I know," she replied, breathlessly. Her hands came up to cup his face for a moment and she smiled up at him with the smile that was reserved only for him.

Tony dipped his head once more, kissing her briefly again before releasing her and slipping from her arms. He stripped off his shirt while he kicked off his flip-flops as her hurried towards his daughter who was completely unaffected by her parents display off affection. "Okay, my tiny ninja, who's ready to get in the river?"

Eden jumped up and down, "Me!"

Tony scooped Eden into his arms as he met her at the edge of the river and waded into the water that came up to his knees. It was cool, but it left good against his skin given the heat of the day. He decided that Eden wouldn't be too cold in it and began to lower her to the water. He stopped when her toes dipped into the water and brought her back up before tossing her into the air and repeating it, each time a little more of her body making an entrance into the water. Her laughter growing louder every time.

Ziva watched from her perch on one of the chairs she had set up. She was relaxed and her face lit up with a bright smile as she watched her husband and daughter enjoying themselves. "Tony, let her in the water," she called after to him with mirth filling her voice.

Tony glanced over his shoulder at his wife's call as his daughter landed once more into his waiting arms. He turned his attention back to Eden and cuddled her close for a moment, "whadya say, ready to get really wet? I bet we can find tadpoles too!"

Eden nodded her head enthusiastically and Tony finally let her down in a shallower area of the river. He watched carefully as she treaded over the slippery rocks under her feet. They splashed water at one another for a few minutes after she found a rock that she could use as a support if things became too much. Her eyes noticed something swimming in the river as she splashed her dad and she let out a squeal, "Daddy! Tadpoles!"

Tony skidded across the slippery rocks and peered down to where she was excitedly pointing too. Her hold body trembled with excitedly. "Yup, looks like you found a lot of them, Eden! I bet they were hiding under the rocks. Want to catch them and put them in a jar?" Eden's head was snapping up and down instantly as she watched her new friends swim around the water. "Okay, let's go get the Mason jar that Grandpa Gibbs gave to catch them in."

"Can I stay? Please?" she pleaded with her father. "They'll be lonely if I leave them!"

Tony looked back to Ziva who was already retrieving the jar from the cooler. "Okay, but you stay right by this rock," he pointed to the rock that had become her support. "I don't want you going any further into the river."

Eden placed her hand on the rock and grinned up at him. "No movin'."

Satisfied that she would be safe for the few seconds it would take to get the jar Tony hurried out of the water. Once on dry land Ziva met him halfway and handed him the jar. "Having fun?" she mused as she handed it over.

"Much. You could join us, y'know?"

"I'll stay up here," she told him with a shake of her head. She looked back out to the water and smiled as she saw her daughter twist around and look at her and Tony. Her hair was wet and a bit mussed up from jumping around from the splashing and she had an impish smile on her face. "She's waiting for you," Ziva murmured as she placed a kiss on Tony's cheek. Tony began his trip back to his daughter and Ziva quickly pulled out her camera and snapped a picture of her daughter twisted around towards them. They had named her Eden because it meant 'paradise' and she was definitely their little slice of paradise.


	13. Chapter 13

**She looks like Grandma**

Tony carefully watched his three year old daughter as she played in the leaves at the park. She was bundled up cozy as can be in her gray hat, scarf, and sweater jacket. Her medium length blonde hair flipped around the top of her jacket and her giggled filled the air. It was a crisp autumn day and he was happy to have it off to spend time with his daughter. Ziva had wandered off to a shop not far from the park to do some shopping. This left him with the chance to just watch and absorb what he was witnessing.

He smiled as Danielle held up a leaf excitedly waving it at him before scooping up an armful of them and throwing them into the air. His breath caught as she spun around and for the millionth time since she was born it struck him, she looked like his mother's duplicate. Her eyes were completely Ziva, but her hair and many of her features was his mother.

The night Danielle had entered the world he held her for a long time and after she had drifted off of to sleep and Ziva followed along with her he slipped out of the room, tired and weary from the long hours of supporting Ziva through her labor, and made his way to the hospital's chapel. Sitting in the pew he had clasped his hands together in the way his mother had taught him many years before and began to speak into the silence. He didn't speak to God, but rather to his mother. He had told her what he already knew she knew, he was a father now and his little girl who rested with his wife down the hall looked so much like her Grandmother. He cried after that, the tears bittersweet. He asked his mother to guide him through the days ahead in whatever way she could from where she was. He didn't want to fail his daughter, wife, or her. When he returned to Ziva's room a short time later he pressed a kiss to her forehead as she slept and carefully eased Danielle out of her bassinet to hold her some more while she continued to sleep. Sort of a few missteps he felt that he had done a pretty good job with helping to raise his precious little girl.

"Daddy!" his little one's voice rang in his ears, drawing him from his memories. "Look daddy! A birdy!" He finger stretched as she pointed to where she had spied the feathered creature.

Tony craned his neck in the direction that she was pointing to. "That's a cardinal, Danielle," he told her. "See all those red feathers?" he glanced at her as she nodded that she saw what he was speaking of. "That means that it's a boy cardinal. If it was gray like your jacket it would be a girl cardinal. Oh, like the one on the branch right behind him," he added when he spotted the other bird behind the male cardinal.

"Cool!" she cheered before returning to her beloved leaves, but keeping an eye on the birds in the branches above.

Tony went on watching her as memories of his mother drifted in and out of his mind. A soft smile was playing on his lips when he felt Ziva snuggle up to him on the bench. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders without a word.

"You are thinking that she looks like your mother," she murmured. She had learned in the days after Danielle's birth what the smile he was wearing now meant. She couldn't fault him because even she had noticed it after having seen the picture of Tony's mother over the years. Danielle even reminded her of a woman she never met, but wish she had just so she could thank her for bring Tony into this world.

Tony turned his head to kiss Ziva's temple. "I still can't get over it," he whispered against her hair.

Danielle startled, leaves falling and clinging from her jacket as she clasped her hands together and a serious look crossed her face. The cardinals had flown off and she watched after them.

"Will you be disappointed if this baby does not look like your mother?" Ziva asked quietly as she ran a hand over her swollen stomach. It was something that had worried her from the moment she found out she was pregnant again, but couldn't bring herself to voice until now.

"Of course I will!" Tony gasped, his hand joining hers on her belly. "This baby could come out with every crazy feature our family's recessive genes can throw at it and I will still be thrilled and in love with him or her as I am with Danielle," he went on.

Ziva let out a laugh. "I do not think this child will have any of our crazy genes, Tony."

"I don't think so either, Ziva. I'm just saying if it does I will still love it. We made this baby and I couldn't be disappointed by anything created by our love." He turned her face towards him and kissed her gently. "I swear."

Danielle wandered up to them just then. She poked her face into the bags that sat around Ziva's feet, "anything for me, ima?"

Ziva laughed again. "I do not know, have you been a good girl for daddy?" The little girl nodded her head eagerly. "Then I do believe there might be a new teddy bear in this bag," she pointed to the one directly between her feet, "for you."

"And you scold me for spoiling her," Tony chuckled as Danielle squealed diving into the bag that her mother had pointed to.

"It is just a teddy bear, Tony," she sighed knowing that his teasing had some truth. She had been spoiling Danielle more these days.

Tony scooped his daughter up into his lap after she had retrieved her new toy. "What are you going to name this one?"

Danielle thought for a moment before fixing a serious look on him. "What was Grandma's name?"

Tony smiled, drawing her into a tight hug and whispering his mother's name into her ear.


	14. Chapter 14

**Breakdown**

Ziva released a heavy sigh as she hung up the phone and placed it on the counter in the kitchen. She had returned to DC almost five months ago and while she would love tell anyone who asked if her return had been seamless and easy, it wasn't. For the first six weeks or so was filled with trepidation and hurt feelings from those that she returned to. Tony had held her the whole night that first night, but she could feel the pain that she had caused him by not returning with him when he had asked her to ooze off of him in his sleep. The days that followed were filled with mending fences and bolstering the bridges that had become wobbly and on verge of collapse. She and Tony worked on their relationship and feelings most. It seemed that when others saw them together, healing together, then they were more willing to allow their hurt feelings to heal. It wasn't until after those first six weeks that she moved into Tony's apartment. She had stayed on Gibbs couch during those weeks and while he greeted her with a smile every morning and thanked her for the home cooked meals at night his eyes couldn't hide the pain she had caused and it cut her like a knife every time.

Looking around the apartment she heaved another sigh. Tony had called to tell her he was on his way home. The team had received a case three weeks ago that was taking forever to unravel and every new twist and turned made Tony angrier and tenser. She hadn't asked for details, it wasn't her place anymore, it wasn't her job, but he would mumble about it in his sleep and the mentions of what had happen to children in the case made her stomach churn. On the phone she could hear his voice cracking and knew that another part of the case had fallen into place and Tony was nearing his breaking point. Drumming her fingers on the kitchen counter she tried to think about what would help to ease away the new information, at least for the night, and the idea meandered into her mind.

Pushing away from the counter she took note of the time. Tony would be home in about fifteen minutes given that he had called from in the car. She made her way to the bathroom and began to set it up. She filled the tub with hot water and bubble bath, humming softly to herself as she did. She laid out fresh towels and his favorite lounge wear for afterwards before she disrobed and slipped into her fluffy bathrobe. She had just turned off the faucet when she heard Tony come through the front door.

"Ziva?" his voice was filled with concern from seeing the empty living room as he stored his sidearm in its safe.

Ziva wandered away from the bathroom and leaned on the doorframe. When her eyes fell on him her heart skipped a beat. It always skipped a beat, but this time it was tinged with pain. He looked lost and disheveled. His tie had already been pulled from his neck, the collar on the back of his suit jacket was popped, his hair looked as if he had been pulling at it all day and if she didn't know better he had gotten a bit grayer than when she had seen him that morning, and the playful twinkle in his eyes that matched his playful grin were long gone. She ached for him. "Over here, Tony," she directed his attention away from the couch he was staring at and to where she waited, her arms stretched out in a waiting hug.

Tony walked mutely to her and let himself fall into her embrace. He buried his face into her hair and neck as he breathed in her sent. "Were you taking a bath?" he mumbled against her skin.

"No, I was preparing you one and thought I might join you," she explained. "If you would like, that is," she added.

Tony didn't say a word. He slipped from her arms and ventured further into the bedroom where he shucked his clothes and walked towards the en suite bath that Ziva had set up for him. At the door he stopped and turned to her, holding out his hand in invitation. Ziva didn't hesitate as she followed him. Tony sank into the bath first, his body thankful for its warm embrace, and then he guided Ziva in, settling her between his legs. She leaned her back against his chest and laid her head on his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her possessively.

Neither spoke for a long while as they soaked in the tub. Ziva trailed her fingers along Tony's arms, drawing wet little patterns against his skin as his fingers danced along her skin. When the silence became too much Ziva began to hum quietly.

"I wish we could talk about this," Tony's murmurs broke into her humming as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Twisting slightly to get a better view of him Ziva cradled her hand against the side of his face. "I hate that this is causing you so much pain, Tony," she softly whispered. "Do you think it will take much longer to wrap up this case? Maybe after it is finished the team will get some time off?"

"I don't know. Maybe," he sighed.

Ziva turned more fully now so she was facing him completely. "What can I do for now, then?" she asked solemnly.

Tony stared at her for a long moment, drinking in her body that was decorated by water droplets and bubbles and her hair that was damp and curly. He pulled her to him. "Just hold me," he requested.

Ziva inched the tiny bit more to him and straddled his legs as she drew him into her arms. He rested his head against her breast and practically clung to her as if she was the only thing in the world that was real. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head as she heard him to softly begin to cry, which turned to sobs. She held him the whole time, her heart breaking with every shake of his body. She couldn't tell you if it was because she couldn't take away his pain or the fact that the man she loved was crying in her arms, but either way she felt like she was breaking into a million pieces as she fought to hold it together for him.

"I am here for you, Tony," she whispered over and over again until his body stopped shaking and his tears subsided. The water long cooled and they just sat there holding one another.


End file.
